Sacramento area’s first supportive housing for veterans celebrates 10th anniversary
The Sacramento region’s first permanent supportive housing development for homeless and disabled veterans celebrated its 10th anniversary Friday, honoring residents who have lived at the complex since it opened.
Mather Veterans Village — a partnership between Rancho Cordova, Sacramento County, Mercy Housing California and Nation’s Finest Veterans Services — has 100 permanent housing units and 47 transitional units for homeless veterans at the former Mather Air Force Base, which opened in 1918 and closed in 1993.
At a ceremony Friday, 16 veterans who have lived at the village since its opening were presented with 10-Year Housing Stability Awards, honoring their resilience, perseverance and dedication to building and maintaining stability.
Army veteran and resident Sheila Austin said she grew up in Rancho Cordova after her father was stationed at Mather. After serving in the Army, she worked a variety of jobs before falling on hard times and losing her apartment. She later connected with a case manager at Nation’s Finest, who helped her secure a spot as one of the first residents at Mather Veterans Village.
Austin said the feeling of safety and community has been invaluable to her success, as well as the development’s location just blocks from the Department of Veterans Affairs Sacramento Medical Center.
“Before, I would spend two to three hours on a bus just to get to a doctor’s appointment,” Austin said. “Now I can just take a short walk down the street.”
Austin said she now spends her days cooking and participating in outings with other residents to museums and sports games.
“I have a stable place where my son and I can live safely,” Austin said. “I have a comfortable place where my grandkids can come and visit their grandma and cook Saturday morning breakfast.”
Chris Flaherty, CEO of Nation’s Finest, said the celebration held close to America’s 250th birthday created a “special connection” to the nation’s past. He said the importance of home for veterans is more than just a building — it is a place to feel safe.
“For many, especially those who have worn the uniform, home is not a place,” Flaherty said. “Home is an ideal, one that heals us, one that sustains us, one that defines us.”
The housing development provides wraparound services, including case management, counseling, support navigating resources, assistance accessing behavioral health treatment and employment, and organized social events.
“Lasting success comes from pairing housing with comprehensive supportive services, helping veterans access health care, behavioral health services, employment, benefits, transportation and the trusted relationships that allow people to move forward with confidence,” said Lindsey Sin, secretary of California’s Department of Veterans Affairs.
State Sen. Roger Niello, R-Fair Oaks, and Assemblymember Josh Hoover, R-Folsom, also presented a resolution recognizing the anniversary, saying the celebration so close to the country’s 250th birthday was an honor.
“The reality is that none of that would have been possible without the sacrifice, without the service of all of our veterans,” Hoover said.
An estimated 8% of people experiencing homelessness in Sacramento County, about 550 people, are veterans, according to the 2024 Point in Time Count. Nationwide, an estimated 5.3% of people experiencing, or about 33,000, are veterans, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Seventy more units are under construction and expected to be completed in 2027 as part of Phase 4 of Mather Veterans Village, and a fifth phase is also in the works. The development is expected to eventually house more than 5,000 homeless veterans, Rancho Cordova spokesperson Maria Kniestedt said.
Rancho Cordova Mayor Garrett Gatewood said the city remains committed to continuing its support of veterans in the area.
“This community was built on service, shaped by the military base’s legacy and committed to making veterans know that they are important to us,” Gatewood said.
